Shroud lock

Abstract

A shroud lock for locking a position of a needle shroud relative to a housing of an autoinjector, includes a shroud beam arranged on the needle shroud and biased radially outwards, a stop arranged within the housing, a recess arranged proximal of the stop, and a cap coupled to the housing and adapted to prevent distal translation of the needle shroud relative to the housing. At least a portion of the shroud beam is within the recess when the cap is in place and, the shroud beam abuts the stop after the needle shroud is locked relative to the housing of the autoinjector. The disclosure further relates to an autoinjector and to a method for assembling such an autoinjector.

1 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) for locking a position of a needle shroud ( 7 ) relative to a housing ( 2 ) of an autoinjector ( 1 ), wherein the shroud lock ( 17 ) comprises:
 a shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) arranged on the needle shroud ( 7 ) and biased radially outwards,   a stop ( 2 . 12 ) arranged within the housing ( 2 ),   a recess ( 2 . 13 ) arranged proximal of the stop ( 2 . 12 ), and   a cap ( 11 ) coupled to the housing ( 2 ) and adapted to prevent distal translation of the needle shroud ( 7 ) relative to the housing ( 2 ), wherein   at least a portion of the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) is within the recess ( 2 . 13 ) when the cap ( 11 ) is in place and,   the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) abuts the stop ( 2 . 12 ) after the needle shroud ( 7 ) is locked relative to the housing ( 2 ) of the autoinjector ( 1 ).   
     
     
         2 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle shroud ( 7 ) moves distally from a retracted position towards an extended position relative to the housing ( 2 ) when the autoinjector ( 1 ) is moved to a locked state. 
     
     
         3 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein during movement of the needle shroud ( 7 ) into the extended position
 the portion of the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) deflects radially inwards after passing the recess ( 2 . 13 ) in a distal direction (D) and   the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) relaxes radially outwards after passing the stop ( 2 . 12 ) in the distal direction (D).   
     
     
         4 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the needle shroud ( 7 ) moves proximally from a pre-extended position towards the retracted position relative to the housing ( 2 ) when the autoinjector ( 1 ) is pressed against the injection site. 
     
     
         5 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein during movement of the needle shroud ( 7 ) towards the retracted position, the portion of the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) is moved past the recess ( 2 . 13 ) in a proximal direction (P). 
     
     
         6 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) abuts the stop ( 2 . 12 ) in a relaxed state before final assembly, when the cap ( 11 ) is absent. 
     
     
         7 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein during final assembly, the cap ( 11 ) is coupled to the housing ( 2 ) such that the cap ( 11 ) engages and deflects the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) radially inwards out of its abutment with the stop ( 2 . 12 ) allowing the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) to pass the stop ( 2 . 12 ) in the proximal direction (P). 
     
     
         8 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein after passing the stop ( 2 . 12 ) in the proximal direction (P), the portion of the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) relaxes radially outwards into the recess ( 2 . 13 ). 
     
     
         9 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least two shroud beams ( 7 . 1 ) arranged on a distal portion of the needle shroud ( 7 ). 
     
     
         10 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to  claim 9 , further comprising a number of apertures ( 7 . 6 ) adapted to interact with the cap ( 11 ) for preventing a depression of the needle shroud ( 7 ) when the cap ( 11 ) is in place, wherein the apertures ( 7 . 6 ) are arranged on the distal portion of the needle shroud ( 7 ). 
     
     
         11 . A shroud lock ( 17 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the needle shroud ( 7 ) is coupled to a shroud spring ( 8 ) for biasing the needle shroud ( 7 ) in a distal direction (D) against the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         12 . Autoinjector ( 1 ) comprising:
 a housing ( 2 ) comprising a front part ( 2 . 1 ) and a rear part ( 2 . 2 ), the housing ( 2 ) is adapted to receive a syringe ( 3 ),   a needle shroud ( 7 ) telescoped within the housing ( 2 ),   a cap ( 11 ) attached to the front part ( 2 . 1 ), and   a shroud lock ( 17 ) according to any one of the preceding claims.   
     
     
         13 . A method for assembling an autoinjector according to  claim 12 , comprising the steps of:
 providing a control subassembly, wherein the needle shroud ( 7 ) is arranged within the housing ( 2 ) locked against movement in the proximal direction (P) due to the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) that abuts the stop ( 2 . 12 ),   coupling the cap ( 11 ) to the housing ( 2 ) for engaging the cap ( 11 ) to a protective needle sheath ( 5 ), thereby releasing the needle shroud ( 7 ) for moving it in the proximal direction (P) by a predetermined distance until the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) is within the recess ( 2 . 13 ) and the needle shroud ( 7 ) is held in a pre-extended state.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the shroud beam ( 7 . 1 ) is deflected radially inwards out of its abutment with the stop ( 2 . 12 ) when the cap ( 11 ) is coupled to the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13  or  14 , wherein the cap ( 11 ) is coupled to the housing ( 2 ) during or after insertion of the syringe ( 3 ) into the control subassembly.